Scarlet Years
by RapidBalloonDog
Summary: This story centers around Kuchiki Byakya and his dearest childhood friend, Kitagawa Aoi, a firey spirited young woman. Byakuya and Aoi will live lives of love, heartbreak, treachery, and friendship. Centered in the Bleach universe. Rated M for future violence and romance. ByakuyaxOC Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach or any of it's characters
1. 1- Beginning

They were born the same year. Kitagawa Aoi. Kuchiki Byakuya. Yes, those were their names. Two, at that time, children not knowing their fates were forever connected. Both from nobility, both aspiring for something more. To be brought together only to be torn apart again and again. But they were steadfast. Never gave up. They strayed but came back. Here is their story.

The Kitagawa and Kuchiki families had long been in a tense civility that never really was good but not a problem. Thousands of years past in the same sense. Then, two children were born of the families. Kuchiki Byakuya and Kitagawa Aoi. The children were unique right from the start. No mothers. Byakuya's died at child birth. Aoi's was allowed to stay in soul society to give birth then she had to leave to join the Zero Division. Gentle fathers. Kuchiki Sõjin was of the most gentle nature always caring for Byakuya. Kitagawa Takumi was not as gentle but taught his daughter to be strong and kind. Strict grandparents. The current leaders of the Kuchiki and Kitagawa clans were strict, but even so, loved their grandchildren more than anything. Saijin and Takumi we quite good friends and knew their children were of the same age and brought them together one fateful day.

"But Father, he probably smells like poop" whined little Aoi. Time was different in Soul Society, though she had been alive for 15 years she still resembled a 5 year old. She was around 3 feet tall. Her young face was set with features she would surely grow into. High cheekbones, full lips, a straight nose. But above all was her scarlet red hair pulled into long pictails. A small hand poked out of a flower designed kimono. The hand clutched at her fathers, even though she sounded annoyed she was actually quite nervous. She had never had anyone to really play with, only maids and other servants. She got lonely at times, but she had found happiness in the art of sword. She trained day and night to escape boredom. She remembered her father teaching her the basics of it all. Stance, agility and strength all slowly built over time.

The two approached a simple play park. It had two swings, a small jungle gym, and 10 foot tall slide. Aoi's face lit up as she ran for the swings. She climbed on and waited for her father to come push her. Once he got her going she started going higher and higher. She closed her eyes. It felt like she was flying. She felt herself go higher than the bar. She heard her father give a warning but she ignored him. When she flew forward again she felt herself rise to the peak and let go. She flew forward, arms out spread. Then she felt herself fall and then heard a "thud". She felt pain flash across her knees. She looked down, her knees were bleeding. She held back tears trying to save face in front of her father. With a small smile she said, "I'm okay Father."

"So is this the cry baby I'm supposed to play with?"

Another two had appeared, clearly father and son. The younger appearing to be five with jet black hair pulled into a little ponytail, bangs falling elegantly into his already perfect face. Him and Aoi were the same height and age.

"Father, I don't want to play with some crybaby!" Aoi felt a flash of iritation.

"Whose crying?" She spit back at the child. Byakuya took a step back, no one had ever spoken to him like that. Before he could regain his composure Aoi was in his face. "I don't see anyone crying," she turned to her father, "Can we go home now?"

Her father had been slightly grinning but fixed his face into a stern look. "No, you will stay here. No daughter of mine runs away."

"Now Takumi, don't be too rough on her. She's still young let her have a childhood." Said Sõjin with a smile. Takumi gave him a nod but said nothing. Sõjin pushed Byakuya towards Aoi with a smile icy enough to send shivers down Byakuya's spine. He knew not to mess with his father.

Aoi, irritated, turned and began to run towards the jungle gym. Byakuya decides to look cool and beat her there. As he sped up so did she and soon they were sprinting as Aoi pulled ahead and beat him to the jungle gym. She climbed to the top triumphant, throwing up dueces on each hand. Byakuya glared at her and scrambled up the jungle gym. When he got to the top he wrested Aoi for the top. They fell down 3 feet through the hole at the top and wrested on the ground. Aoi pinned him down using her inner thighs. Again, she threw up the deuces. Byakuya struggled to escape until he finally wiggled free. She laughed as he scrambled to his feet covered in mulch. Aoi grinned. She had finally found some sort of competition. Everyone up until now that were age we weak and pathetic. This one had some fire to him.

Byakuya did not grin. He had always been the strongest, quickest; the victor. He looked around him and picked up a small branch that was lying on the ground. He looked it up and down and then took his stance. Aoi realized what he was doing and scrambled for a branch also. She took up her stance and stared directly into his eyes. He stared back and saw a sort of fire behind those grey eyes. After an tense moment, they sprung. Byakuya swung right but Aoi blocked it and then delivered a quick jab. He dodged it and again swung. She ducked and swung out her leg. It was over in an instant. As she swung out her leg she knocked him down and then knocked the branch out of his hand. Byakuya fell to the ground and pointed her branch at his chest.

"Beat you," she said, face neutral.

He was furious. How? She was a mere girl, his age, shorter then himself (so he thought), not as athletic. He jumped to his feet, climbed out from under the jungle gym and walked over to the swings slowly. He heard footsteps behind him, but he didn't turn around.

"Hey you're pretty good. Where did you learn how to do all that?" Asked Aoi, giving him an innocent look. Byakuya didnt look at her and continued to walk towards his father. "Now come on don't be a stick in the mud. I just asked a simple question."

Byakuya spun around and looked her in the face. This was the first time he really took in her appearance. He took in her deep grey eyes and noticed how her hair caught the light in a way that made it glow. His face reddened as he looked down.

"My dad taught me. Plus I'm home alone a lot so I just practice on my own," he muttered. Aoi looked him up and down and grinned.

"I do too! Father is usually out doing his duties with the Gotei that I don't have much time to play with him. Well, we should start playing together more so we can practice together instead of alone!" Next she held out her hand like how she had seen her father do so with other adults. Byakuya looked down at it for a second and then grasped it.

"I guess we can work something out together."

Aoi smiled hugely and Byakuya reddened again. She ran towards her father and asked if they could invite the Kuchiki's over for dinner and tea. It was plum blossom season and it would be a good night to view the blossoms.

Takumi looked down at her in surprise having been in deep conversation with Sõjin. They had pretty much ignored everything the kids had been doing up until this point. Takumi looked over at Sõjin who smiled and inclined his head. Takumi sighed.

"Yes, they can come over as kong as you don't bully Byakuya." Aoi grinned mischievously and nodded kissing her father in the cheek. The two families stayed at the playground for another hour during that time Takumi had sent a message to the house that they would be expecting guests for dinner. Sõjin and Takumi later called over Aoi and Byakuya to go back to the Kitagawa residence.


	2. 2- Fifty Years Later

50 Years Later

"Is the young master out again." A maid asked.

"Yes, he's out with Aoi-sama. I think they're running around somewhere. He didn't say where he was going just that he would be 'back for dinner probably.'" Said another servant, "I think they're trying to get in as much time together before Aoi-sama leaves for her training."

"Hm, yea indeed. He doesn't realize it but she means a great deal to him." Said the first maid again with a little laugh. "Ah, but he is young and she too. They're only teenagers by the looks of it."

"Where is Aoi-sama going to again?" Asked the servant.

"Rumor has it, that her father is sending her to the human world. It's for some type of mission to make her ready to join the Gotei 13."

"Good luck to her indeed"

~meanwhile~

A girl sprinted into view, looked around and scrambled up a nearby oak tree. She made it to the top surprising faster than a normal person could. She waited. A boy, staggered into view and peered around. He then clicked his tongue and looked up into the tree. He caught sight of the girl and she grinned.

"Byakuya are you ever going to catch up to me?"

He scowled up at her, "It wasn't even a fair race, Aoi. You took off way before you even told me where we were racing to!"

She laughed and jumped down from the tree. She disappeared and reappeared right by Byakuya. He stared at her.

"Since when have you been able to shunpo?"

"Since when have you been a nosey lil bitch?" She retorted with a smirk. "I'm just playing though. I figured it out two days ago. Yoruichi-san has been trying to teach me for a while and I finally got the hang of it."

Byakuya then smirked also and jumped up into the air, "I guess I beat you in that area, I've known how to do it for months."

Aoi laughed and said with a sparkle in her eyes, "Yea, I guess you do beat me. We're a pretty even match though." Byakuya frowned down at her. It always irritated him when she didn't get bothered by his teasing. Her teasing enraged him to no end but when he did it back it seemed to glide right over her head.

She then jumped up into the air beside him. "How about an even race? First person to our hideout wins."

"Wins what?"

"Gloating rights."

Byakuya grinned, "You're on."

They both took their running stances.

"Three, two, one...GO!" yelled Aoi.

They tooked off and left smoke in their wake. Their hideout was on the complete opposite side of the city in the wake of Soukyoko Hill. They sprinted over the heads of onlookers that just shook their heads and knew that Kuchiki Byakuya and Kitagawa Aoi were at it again. They were neck and neck the entire time, neither one faltering. As they headed towards the wooded area where their hideout was, they both grinned. This was where the real challenge was. They now had to wind their way through the trees the fastest. The trees grew extremely tall so it would waste time to go over them. They wound through the trees, in and out beating a familiar path. As a a dense group of trees came into sight they gave a last blasting push off of two trees that caused them to collapse. They both reached an extremely large and old pine tree at the exact same second.

"Damn," cursed Byakuya, "A tie again. How is it we always tie. This is friggin ridiculous."

Aoi merely smiled and jumped down to the ground, "Even match I guess but I still touched the tree first."

Byakuya jumped down to the ground after her and glared at her, "No way. You always do this! Why can't you ever admit that you're inferior to me?!" The last sentence came out more aggressive than he had meant. He blushed slightly and looked at the ground.

Aoi's smile faded slightly but she quickly recovered it and then crawled through a hidden hole in the tree. Byakuya followed after her and emerged in hollow area within the tree. The area was rather large and had blankets strewn around on the ground and empty packets of sweets here and there. On the walls were tally marks with the letters "A" and "B" over each categorie of tick marks. Byakuya stumbled over to a pile of blankets that already seemed to have an indent of a body. He fell into the pile and naturally fit into the indent. He closed his eyes and relaxed for a minute. After a while he opened them and looked around for Aoi.

She was on the other side of the tree, up in her favorite alcove looking through an opening in the tree side. She seemed deep in thought as Byakuya gazed at her. He noticed the way the sun caught on her red hair and made it look like fire. And how the the light made the shadows of her elegant cheekbones even more prominent in her face. And how tall she had was (around 6 foot mind you) and how even in her kimono her extremely athletic body still retained all its curves and-... He slapped his cheeks with both hands a couple times and looked away. His thoughts always seemed to get away from him these days. He let out a noise of annoyance and reached for an unopened bag of sweets.

Aoi noticed his surveyance of just seconds prior and let out a sigh. Byakuya had been doing this for the last couple days. He thought she didn't notice but her senses were much more acute than his ever were. Much had changed since they were kids she now reflected. He learned to shower for one. Also, not only did he grow to her height but so did his firey temper and attitude. It had made her laugh when he first started but he was going through a phase where he grew out his hair to shoulder length in imitation of his father which he now tied back in a regal like ponytail. Aoi enjoyed to tease him and call it a rat tail. Reckless and stupid as he was, Aoi had become very close with Byakuya through years of sparring and tomfoolery. She would deeply miss him.

A weight dropped in her stomach at the thought of her departure. She glanced down at Byakuya, scarfing down sweets. She had neglected to tell the idiot for reasons she herself did not know. Everytime she was about to tell him, she got tongue-tied and changed the subject. And it wasn't like she had just found out she was about to leave. She had known this since she was little that she would be sent out on some type of family mission. Only the head of the Kitagawa family partook in this mission and since she was an only child she had to go. She picked up a leaf and began the play with it with her fingers as she went deeper into thought.

The most frustrating thing to her was the fact that she didn't even know what the mission was and how long she would be gone. Her father said it's something that she had to do and that it was 'fine to fail' with a tone that hinted it was utterly unacceptable to fail. He and those beforehand had all apparently failed at this mission and he was heavily pushing Aoi to be the one to end this "family mission" business. He viewed it all as a waste of time. She crushed the leaf in her palm of her hand and clutched her hand in a fist. She was so frustrated that she was going on a mission she was bound to fail before joining the Gotei 13. While being gone people like Byakuya could surpass her. She unclentched her hand and only dust remained of the leaf. She stood up suddenly and jumped down to Byakuya and knocked him on the head.

"Oi dumbass, are you going to stuff your face all day or are we going to do this?"

"Bitch! I wasn't stuffing my face! And fine only if you're ready to loose?!"

They both stood face to face about a foot apart. The both drew back and arm and yelled, "JANKEN!"

Aoi held out a fist and Byakuya held out a two fingers.

"HAHA YOU LOSE AGAIN, DICKHEAD!" Aoi ran to the wall, as Byakuya sunk to his knees and stared furiously at his scissor hand, and added another tick mark to the column under the letter "A" which had significantly more marks than the column labeled "B". She turned around hands on hips, and smuggly looked down at Byakuya. "That makes it what? 1,367 to 432? That sounds about right." She laughed lightly and jumped up to the top of the tree where there was another alcove. It had a little door that opened out to the upper most branches of the tree. She opened it and looked down at Byakuya.

"Come on Byakuya! We're going to miss the sunset!"

Byakuya shook himself out of his anger and small grinned flashed across his face. He jumped up to the top and went through the door. As he closed it he watched Aoi already climbing to the very top of the tree branches. Byakuya used shunpo to catch up to her.

"Why do you still climb when you can use shunpo?"

Aoi clicked her tongue and shook her head, "Because it ruins the experience! When we were kids and first discovered this place we had to actually climb to the top. I do it for the nostalgia factor."

Byakuya didn't understand but sat himself down on a branch next to her. They sat in silence as they looked to the west as the sun slowly sunk beneath the horizon causing the clouds to be stained with colors of purple, blue, and red. Cicada started to sing their nightly songs as the birds of the day finally twittered to sleep. It was in late spring, so it finally was staying warm once the sun went down. Byakuya enjoyed this part of the day the most now. As a child he didn't think much of appreciating nature until he me Aoi. He would make fun of her as she watched the trees and clouds, that is until he started doing the same thing and was filled with an odd sense of peace. His favorite time of year was watching the plum blossoms. Aoi's birthday was around that time and so her family would always throw her a party where they were able to watch the plum blossoms. This was also his favorite time of year because somehow when he was asleep Aoi would leave the very last plum blossom by his bed because she knew how much he loved them. He only caught her doing it once but never again even if he tried to stay up to catch her. He was going to miss that.

"Ahhh, can you feel that?" Aoi suddenly said, jerling Byakuya back to reality. Byakuya sxowled at her.

"Dumbass, I can't read your thoughts, feel what?"

She flicked him in the forehead and said, "All the spirit particles in the air, giving everything life and meaning of existence."

Byakuya clutched his forehead and stared at her. He was born with a very high reiatsu and could usually sense reishi pretty well but her senses had always been very acute and the way she moved about with the spirit particles was unlike anyone except if you're from the Kitagawa family.

"You know," Aoi began, leaning back into another branch and closing her eyes, "My father used to take me out into Rukongai for trips just to sit and feel the reishi around us. He would always say that it would make me stronger than anyone but I never really understood. I mean if I can only sense they're there what good does that do me? It's like dying of thirst and seeing a glass of water but you're unable to drink it. Useless." She ended on a bitter note and opened her eyes. Her eyes had become hard as she now stared at the dark, night sky.

Byakuya looked at her, he knew that Aoi and her father had gone on these trips because he would be imensely bored as he waited for her to come back. All he would do was hang around Yoruichi and Urahara Kisuke as they had their lover's quarrels and got teased for being much younger than them. Other than that he would train frantically so that when she returned he would be stronger than her but it seemed like he was in the same place as he had been when she had left. He looked at her and opened his mouth, then closed it, opened it agin then thought better of himself. Aoi gave him a funny look.

"Whatever it is spit it out! Or are we going to sit here all night as you go Glub glub like a koi fish?"

Byakuya looked at her. What did he have to lose. Now was better than anytime considering she was going to leave soon. He opened his mouth again and said, "Why didn't you tell me you were leaving Aoi?"

She looked up at him surprised, with a guilty expression on her face. She made eye contact with him then looked away. "I was planning on doing it soon." She muttered.

Anger blew up inside him, "What do you mean, soon? What? Were you planning to tell me as you were leaving through the gate to the human world?! Or perhaps have a note delivered a week after you left?"

Aoi stood up angrily, shaking pine needles onto them both. "I just didn't know how to tell you! Get off my butt! I mean, I didn't have to tell you!" Byakuya rose too, red faced and shaking more pine needles onto them.

"Didn't have to?! Did those 5 hour ettiquette lessons teach you nothing about courtesy to others? How hard is it to tell me that you're going to be going on some long-ass journey and won't be back for a while? How could you conveniently leave me out of information that even my lowly servants know about? Are we not friends? Have these years been nothing? Aoi, how could you leave me behind so easily?!"

"That's because I don't even know what I'm doing or where I'm specifically going or how long I will be gone! This isn't my choice at all! Do you even know how scared I am at the fact I'm about to partake in a mission that my father and grandfather and great-grandfather have all failed at?! Do you think I want to leave you and everyone behind?!" Aoi shouted back just as red faced. She opened her mouth again but thought better of it. Her grey eyes had turned to cold stone. She slowly turned away from him. "It's dark and I'm expected home." She turned and immediately disappeared into the night.


	3. 3- Last Supper

~Later at the Kitagawa Residence~

"I'm home." Came a dull voice as a side door slid open revealing Aoi. She looked a mess, having shunpo'ed halfway through the woods, snagged on a branch then fell to the ground. After going through the dense undergrowth, she resigned herself to just jog home. She kicked off her sandals as she entered her enourmous house. A maid came running up and gasped, "Ojou-sama! What happened?! I will draw up a bath immediately before you go eat, your Father has been waiting for you!"

"Don't bother with a bath," said Aoi in the same dull voice, "I'll just go straight to dinner."

"But Ojou-sama, I insist, we have gu-"

"Leave it, please," Aoi snapped and turned back down the hall.

Aoi trudged towards the dining room, leaving twigs and leaves in her wake. She slid open the door to the room and walked in.

"Father, I'm home. I hope you had a good day because mine-" she stopped as she noticed the people in the room. Her father sat at the head of long table, on his right side was her grandfather and on his left was none other than Kuchiki Sõjin. Next to Sõjin was Shihouin Yoruichi. Aoi froze and stared as a couple of leaves fluttered out of her unkempt hair, down her tattered kimono to the floor. She deeply regretted not having at least changed before coming to dinner. She looked dazed for a couple more seconds then snapped into a perfect ninety degree bow.

"Welcome to our house. It is good to see you grandfather. Thank you for joining us for dinner Kuchiki-dono and Yorouichi-dono. I am deeply sorry for my tardiness and dress. I hope you have been enjoying your evening." Aoi said in a perfectly mannered voice that dripped aristocracy.

Yoruichi grinned and looked over at Takumi. "I've always said that you and your wife had made a good one, Takumi." She the looked over at Sõjin with a hint of a playful smirk, "If only we could get Lil' Byakuya to been as mannered as Aoi-chan."

Sõjin smiled at Yoruichi as she leaned back and laughed, "Byakuya is at a cheeky stage in his life but I am sure it's nothing that Aoi-san can't set straight. By the way, Aoi-san please join us."

Aoi snapped up and promptly took a seat at the opposite end of the table across from her father.

"Why are you late and why do you look like a tree attacked you?" Takumi asked sternly.

"Father, I went out with Byakuya and we lost track of time. As for my attire, I was on my way home when I tripped." Aoi replied, in the same milk and honey tone of voice.

Her father raised an eyebrow, "Tripped?"

"Yes, Father."

He started at her and shook his head, "Oh well, please eat Aoi. And then we have something important to discuss."

Aoi looked up curiously and stared at him. His facial expression and those of the people around him gave away nothing. Her eyes flitted from one person to the next trying to find some hint as to what was to be discussed but she could see nothing. She resigned herself to quietly and quickly eat as the adults engaged in small talk about the goings on of Sereitei. When she finally finished eating her food in a perfectly lady like way, which was much slower to the usually method or "scarf and run", a servant came and cleared away her dishes and left her a cup of tea. She stared at the end of the table, waiting.

Takumi took a long drink from his cup of tea and then lowered the cup slowly, looking over at Aoi. "Aoi, you've known for some time that you have been assigned a mission to carry out once I deem you are at an appropriate age?"

Aoi froze and nodded, staring at her father, looking at his body language to discern at least a couple clues.

Takumi glanced over at Sõjin and Yoruichi. "Well, after much discussion. I have decided that the time will soon be upon us for when you will be departing. I have thought about this for some time now and I have decided that you will leave in 1 month for this 7 year mission."

Aoi felt her stomach drop to the floor. She stood up quickly sending her cup of tea flying while her chair clattered to the ground. "What do you mean 1 month?! 1 month until I am gone for 7 years? Thanks for the prior warning! How long have you known that you wanted me gone in 1 month?" She sputtered out.

Takumi looked at her surprised by her reaction. "Now Aoi. You know I have given this much thought beforehand and you know I would not send you out on this mission if I did not think you were completely and fully prepared. Just recently haven't you received your Zanpakuto?"

"Father, I am no where close to mastering my Zanpakuto! Like you have just said, I JUST now obtained it. I don't even know what it's name is! It's just been sitting in my room since I've gotten it."

Takumi raised his eyebrows, again surprised by his daughter. He would have thought knowing her determination that she would've been working with it everyday since she got it. Perhaps part of her knew that since she just obtained her Zanpakuto she would be leaving soon.

"Aoi, you know your father isn't doing this off the fly?" said Yoruichi in a serious voice. "He has come to us a good number of times worried if it was too early to send you off. This hurts him just as much as it hurts you."

"Hurts him? Talked to you all? Why couldn't he just come and talk to me?! It's not like I'm hard to find! I am always looking to talk to you Fath-" she stopped abruptly.

Tears were now threatening to break. She looked away quickly and took a deep breath to steady herself, then fixed a death glare on her father. "Father. Thank you for informing me of such wonderful news. I am happy to oblige to them. Now, if you will excuse me, I have to business I need to take care of." She turned and walked to the door, hand extended and slid the door open.

"Aoi." Came her Grandfather's deep, loud voice, "Stay, there is more to discuss. Your father and I still need to tell you what you will be doing."

Aoi turned around slowly, wide-eyed at her grandfather. She quickly felt her anger drain from her, replaced with a burning curiousity that even she couldn't resist. She slid the door shut.

~later~

The moon was the only thing that lit the streets of the outer most parts of Seireitei. At the end of the street, there was a stir. A figure peeked around a corner and quickly shuffled down the streets, obviously trying not to be seen. It was wearing a dark clothes and kept to the shadows as it went down the street. When it reached the end of the street it turned the corner and promptly ran into another person.

"Ouch! Who's there?" Aoi got up and brushed herself off and looked up into the bespectlecled face of Aizen Souske, still in his Shinigami uniform, now with a look of pleasant suprise on his face.

"Oh, it's only you Aoi-san," said Aizen with a smile that could've warmed a room. Aoi backed up to give him more space and bowed in apology.

"My deepest apologies for running into you Aizen-san. I should have been watching where I was walking." Aoi said in a perfectly mannered voice, just now coming out of the ninety degree bow.

"Now now, please do not be so formal. It was only accident Aoi-san," said Aizen, putting one hand on her shoulder. Aoi smiled faintly up at him and nodded then looked away quickly. She had been trying to sneak out to Rukongai to go and think but she had been caught.

"Hmm, now would anything be the matter Aoi-san? You do not seem like your usual cheerful self. Usually if you were out sneaking to Rukongai, Byakuya-san would be at your hip." Aoi quickly looked up at him with a guilty expression. Yup, she had definitely been caught. Still, Aizen's eyes sparkled down at her. Her face melted into a grin as she realized that Aizen was not about to snitch on her. The grin quickly slipped away when she noticed something odd.

"Umm, Aizen-san, are you feeling alright?" She only asked because though she had just been distracted by bumping into him moments ago, she now could focus better and noticed the reishi around Aizen was slightly distorted, as if something around him was influencing it. Aizen looked down at her surprised.

"Yes, I am in excellent health, why do you ask?" He looked at her curiously as her eyes darted all around him in surveyance.

"It's just that, the reishi around you is acting funny so I thought it might be affecting you. Ah well, if you feel fine I guess it's no big deal. Sorry for bothering you tonight but I must be on my way." She bowed and took her leave, going towards the gate that led to the Rukongai districts.

Aizen stared after her with a look that was quite unreadable. Somehow she had noticed that his zanpakuto had been distorting the reishi around him, this was unlike anything he had ever been around. Or maybe she had not even noticed it was his zanpakuto. She seemed genuinely worried about his health. He gave her one last, calculating look and then turned. For he as well, had business to attend to.

**A/N: Hi everyone! Shorter chapter but hey gotta have those necessary character development cliffhangers. I hope you all are enjoying Aoi and her explosive personality as much as I am. **


	4. 4- Promise

Rukongai at night was peaceful. The people that resided there all retreated into their simple wooden homes once it grew dark. The moon shone bright over the wide expanse of land just starting to shake off the winter cold and blossom into a light shade of green. Aoi wandered through the open fields and looked at the plum trees about to start blossoming then up at the star filled sky. She walked, hands clasped behind her back, deep in thought.

Why now.

Life had reached a perfect incline. The life of Kitagawa Aoi was exactly where she had wanted it to be. She was ready to join the Gotei 13 and move up in the ranks. Aoi stopped walking abruptly and sat on the ground cross legged and watched a progression of ants.

"Why me." She thought, the tears she had been holding back now, spilling out of her eyes. "Why, do I have to leave everyone behind. How will this mission even help me?! As far as I'm concerned everyone else will be moving far beyond me." She thought angrily. Her dear friend Sarugaki Hiyori was a Vice-Captain to the 12th squad under Captain Urahara Kisuke for 9 years so far. She was so far ahead and she looked like she was 12. And Byakuya was ready to join the Gotei soon and even-

She stopped abruptly. She reached down and grabbed a tuft of grass and ripped it out of the ground and clenched it in her fist. The tears came more swiftly now and she didn't even know why. She dropped the grass to the ground and buried her face in her hands.

She wanted to scream, sprint back to her home and destroy everything there. She felt like she had spent years studying material for a certain test but once she sat down to take it, it was all for the wrong subject. Her father had rigidly trained her since she could use her opposable thumbs to grip a sword. This was everything she had hardened herself for. All the work and pain she had gone through was for this purpose. She had made contact with her zanpakuto so early to get stronger.

Yet, now she had arrived here. She didn't know where to go. She felt that she had been living her life through rose colored glasses, not really comprehending reality. She felt like such a child. So ignorant to the life around, still thinking everything was a game. She was furious at her own ignorance and naïvety that she even punched herself in the arm. Everything she had been doing up until now had been a joke that she was at the center of. Her life had been a joke. She felt herself break.

She was no longer crying but a hole began to fill her soul, that would remain there for many years to come. When had she ever been this weak? Kitagawa Aoi had always been known for her hardened exterior and strong will. How could her resolve be broken so easily? She felt a light touch on her shoulder which made her violently start. She then looked up into the eyes of her best friend.

"Oi dumbass, what are you doing out here in the middle of the night?" Kuchiki Byakuya asked quietly, still in shock upon the scene he had just come across. Never in his life had be seen Aoi shed even one tear let alone show any sign of what she considered 'weakness', yet here she was crying her soul out in the middle of the night.

Aoi didn't answer but she continued to stare into his face. She opened her mouth and closed it again. She was speechless. He was the last person she wanted to see right now but he ever so conveniently had shown up. She quickly looked away.

"What are you doing out here dumbass?"

For some reason she could barely speak. Byakuya sat down beside her cross legged and put his hands between his legs. He looked at her with concern because she now had an odd look on her face. He shifted around uncomfortably and then nudged her with his elbow.

"I asked first….dumbass."

Aoi wiped at her eyes fiercely, now furious that she had been caught looking so pathetic. She took a deep steadying breath and looked him dead in the face. "They told me when I will be leaving."

"Soooo, when will you be going?"

"One month. Probably when the plum trees are done blooming."

Byakuya's eyes widened and he turned his whole body to face her. He gripped her shoulders and stammered, "What?! Why so soon? Where will you even be going? How come you found out so late?! Aoi...I just...I...I" he reddened.

Aoi pulled her knees close to her chest and rested her chin on them. "I guess I'm surprised. Well...that's the understatement of the millenia. I'm damn near shaken out of my friggin bones." She paused and looked again up to the sky, eyes blank. "I feel like an animal. With its food dangled in front of it for so long but once I finally get ahold of it, it's poisoned."

"I...don't think I understand Aoi." Byakuya said slowly.

Her head snapped towards him and she gave him a dull stare, and whispered in a deadly tone, "No Byakuya. I don't think you ever will be fortunate enough." Aoi felt something harden in her. She was alone, yes, but that might not be a bad thing. She was so used to Byakuya by her side but now that she realized he wouldn't be she regained some of her old composure. This mission, whatever it is, is to be completed by Aoi. Not Aoi and Byakuya. Aoi. She had to move forward from now. Alone.

"Sorry. I just got a lil stressed out," she murmured apologetically.

"It's all fine. I would be too." That of course, Byakuya thought, was utter codswallop because he knew he would never know the amount of stress she was going through. Aoi was not the type of person to let others excel in front of her. This was probably the main thing on her mind.

Byakuya rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly. But he just saw something shift in Aoi's countenance that he couldn't quite put a name to. Like her body had turned resolute and her eyes had finally found their sought out destination. This is something he always had deeply admired about her. She never needed anyone's permission to decide the path she wished to seek out. His body then did something that he couldn't really control. He reached out his hand and took one of hers.

She gave him a look of utter surprise as he grasped her hand.

"Byakuya! Oi, dickhead! Let go-" She tried to jerk her hand away but Byakuya had an iron grip upon her.

"I'll wait."

"Wait? For what?"

"Well, obviously I'm going to progress past you as the best shinigami to ever exist," he smirked as she tried again to yank her hand from his but he gripped it even harder. He straightened his face then said loudly and boldly.

"But I will wait for you to come back. I don't even care where you are going and what you will do and for however long it is. Just know that there is always going to be someone here that has your back."

Aoi blushed as she looked him in the face, still trying to tug her hand free. "Get that stupid ass look off your face Byakuya, or else someone will actually think you're serious."

"Come on relax. Just lay down, let's look at the stars." She laid down on her back as Byakuya stammered out curses at her. She laughed at him and her eyes brightened.

"You know humans actually use the stars the predict their day to day fate?" Aoi snickered.

"What the hell?"

"Yea, I know! Something called Astronology or some shit like that."

"Humans never cease to amaze me. Looking at the sky to pick whether or not your day will be good or bad. The best way is to just make your own fate."

They both laughed for a while at what they considered the foolishness of humans. Aoi felt like a rubber band had finally snapped off of her once she started laughing like normal. Yes, the situation she was in sucked. Yes, she may have to leave for some odd years. And yes, she did bawl her eyes out like some foolish child but she planned to take Byakuya's words to heart.

She controlled her fate.

They laid there in silence staring at the sky. They didn't speak again because they were both so lost in thought. They both promised themselves in their heads that the next month would be so memorable that neither one would ever forget it. Before they knew it, they had drifted off to sleep, still surprisingly, hand in hand.

**A/N : Thank you for reading my story! Funny thing is that I've had this written for months and just kept forgetting to post it. I won't make any promises to when I will post another chapter but I am determined to finish this. Please don't forget to review! Love the feedback! **


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